KENTA vs Ricky Marvin-NOAH 15.10.2009.

I'm pretty confident in calling this the greatest under two minute match of all time. I was wondering how some of these NOAH matches would hold up for me but this one absolutely did. The match start off with probably theg reatest blindsight dive of all time, you've seen the spot where one wrestler attacks the other before the match starts a thousand times, and a fair share of those have been junior dives, here KENTA is just normally walking around the ring and Marvin comes out of nowhere crushing him. His next move is getting KENTA back into the ring and John Woo Dropkicking KENTA. That's a move that looks badass by itself, but here KENTA's skull crashes into the bottom turnbuckle. Marvin follows it up with a Powerbomb for an early nearfall setting the insane pace. That is followed by KENTA's transition back into control, which has KENTA try a couple of counters that Marvin adjusts to-first by Savate Kicking him, and then when Marvin bounces off the ropes and you already see KENTA countering that with a Front Head Kick Marvin does this amazing Jackie Chan kip-up combo. I really have nothing against flips in wrestling nor anyone wrestling any style, my problem most of the type is simply that many wrestlers don't possess the creativity and wrestling intelligence that Marvin displayed here. You could also have a situation where Marvin would do five of those while his opponent did some other flips, but that doesn't really convey the sense of struggle in that flashy move it did here, where Marvin legitimately looked like a kung fu master. KENTA takes all of Marvin's shots and still comes back with a Discus Lariat. This could've bothered me, but with their difference in hierarchy and how the match was worked I deemed it fitting. From then on it's a game of cat and mouse with KENTA blasting Marvin with huge kicks and attempting the G2S while Marvin attempts desperate flash pins and counters. The second time he goes for the same counters KENTA is ready-and he catches him, counters his counters, knees him and kicks him in the head and goes over. Wonderful pro wrestling. ****

Beth Phoenix vs Melina (WWE Royal Rumble 2009)

I watched this match because of a GIF. I vaguely remember this stuff, but the aesthetic of Melina's red carpet entrance, some weird Beth-Santino storyline and Lawler commentating it all in the manner of a 2009 diva match ended up being quite the trip. It was six minutes long, and I like short matches, so maybe my next endeavor could be revisiting the divas division before giving up matches in and then not watching wrestling for a month. A lot of the moves they do don't look polished, but it doesn't matter that much. Many of the men in WWE have had shitty strikes as well and have been given a pass, they're just quick transitions, it doesn't matter much in the WWE style. The lay-out was really interesting-you had Phoenix dominating by outpowering Melina and recklessly throwing her around, maybe she's actually the divas version of Rick Steiner. Melina's comebacks were brief and included doing really wacky springboard axe quicks, roll-ups and a La Mistica, I loved just how ridiculous the whole thing was and the finishing stretch was chaotic, some might be botehred that there are times where you're not sure what's exactly happening and the correct person is registering pain after a botch, but it has a certain charm when you know the match isn't going long and every move could legitimately end the match. And the aforementioned GIF included Phoenix holding Melina in a Stretch Muffler and kicking Melina in the head with Melina's own leg and yeah that spot ruled. Fun match. ***